Clothes-drier



(No Model.)

R. DOUGLAS & J.'F. AUSTIN. GLTEES DRIER Patented May 1, 1894.

NITED STATES l rrron,

CLOTH las-Dalen.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letterslpatent No. 519,178, dated May 1, 1894. Application filed September '-7, 1893. Serial No. 484,990. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, ROBERT DOUGLAS and JOHN F. AUSTIN, citizens of the United States, residing at Detroit, county of Wayne, State of Michigan, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in a Combined Clothes- Reel, Tent-Frame, and Swing; and We declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to clothes reels, and has for its object an improvement in clothes reels intended to be used outside the house, a special object being to enable the user to protect the clothes at all times from sudden showers of rain or snow.

The structure embodying the invention also aords a firm and strong support adapted to sustain a swing or a number of swings; italso furnishes a canopy or awning which may be utilized as a pleasure tent thus converting the ordinary unsightly clothes reel into an ornament. l y

In the drawings, Figure 1, shows the complete reel with a tent cloth drawn over it and a swing suspended from it, Fig. 2 shows in section the supporting pin and socket at the apex of the central post, and the central ring or hub of the reel wheel.

A indicates a central post, on the upper end of which is a cap provided with a deep central cavity C 5 this cavity forms a socket, within which rests the end of a pin D, the head of which, B, is broadened out into a flange d, and

the ange is provided with a number of holes to receive the ends of tie-rods E and the ends of suspension rods F.

The reel proper is made in the form of a large Wheel, G, of which the rim is preferably in the form of a polygon, rather than in the form of a circle, the portion of the rim that lies between -the ends of the consecutive spokes being preferably straight, and two contiguous portions meeting at an angle (as is shown in Fig. l) at themeeting point of the sections g and h. At each angle there is secured the outer end of a spoke H, the inner end of which is secured to a ring or a hub I. The hubI has a bearing part t' and the liange J, and between the bearingpartt' and the iiange J is an annular web. The inner ends of the spokes H are secured to the flange J. The lower ends of the suspension rods F are secured in the annular ring between the iiange J and the ring z'. Between the ring t' and the post a, is a friction ring 7e, which serves to prevent the bearing ring t' from cutting into the post. The bearing ring t' rests loosely around the friction ring 7c. The spokes H are made of small wire, coated with some material that will not rust; they are preferably made of galvanized wire, and form the clothes line proper, upon which the clothes are spread to be dried. Upon the outer end of each spoke is a screw thread and a nut, by means of which the spoke is kept taut at all times. The tie rods E are also kept taut in the same manner. The direction given to the several rods causes them to brace one another strongly, and any one of the spokes H will support a swing S 5 or several such swings may, if desired, be supported on several of the spokes; and, as the entire head is adapted to turn around the supporting post, the reel can be converted at any time into a pleasure swing or a rotating merry-go-round.

Over the apex of the structure is an awning of tent cloth, t, which can be placed on or removed at will, and which servesto protect Vthe clothes from rain, when stretched on the drier; and this awning is especially useful in cities, where the rain (especially light showers) is apt to be very dirty; it also is useful to protect the clothes from soot and dirt flying in the air, even when there is no rain; and it furnishes a pleasant shade when the `clothes are removed and awning.

What we claim is-d the reel is used as an 1. In a clothes reel, the combination of a central supporting post, a ring supported below the summit, radial arms reaching from said ring to an outer ring, a supporting pin at the summit of the post, tie rods reaching from the supporting pin to the outer ring and means for adjusting the tension of the same, substantially as described.

2. In a clothes reel, the combination of a central supporting post, a reel head composed of an inner and an outer ring and radial arms uniting the two, a tie plate at the top of the post revolubly secured thereto, and tie rods uniting the tie plate to both of said rings, substantially as and for the purpose Specified. 1g

In testimony whereof We sign this specification in the presence of witnesses.

ROBERT DOUGLAS. JOHN F. AUSTIN.

Witnesses for Robert Douglas:

MANLEY S. WARNER, HENRY A. WALKER.

Witnesses for John F. Austin:

R. A. PARKER,

EFEIE I. CROFT. 

